


The Hungry Heart

by grus



Category: Duran Duran, Duran Duran (Music Videos)
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-02-12 04:16:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12951093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grus/pseuds/grus
Summary: A young hedonist realizes even the excesses of pop stardom can do nothing to satisfy him. He embarks on a desperate quest to find fulfillment, which will take him beyond the realm of human understanding. A Duran Duran/Hellraiser crossover (NO familiarity with Hellraiser necessary).





	1. Ah, Memories...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [violet_electric](https://archiveofourown.org/users/violet_electric/gifts), [vizarding](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vizarding/gifts).



> Dedicated to my dear friend Alan (vizarding here and on tumblr), who loves Hellraiser just as much as I do. And my other lovely friend Bonnie (violet_electric on here, paddyfitz on tumblr) whose horror Duran Duran fics (including the one she wrote for me) have been an inspiration to actually go through with this. 
> 
> Some notes: 
> 
> This starts off tame but as it will progressively get darker/more sexual/more violent I'm giving it the explicit rating off the bat. Some rape/non-con elements later on are likely. 
> 
> No familiarity with Hellraiser films or The Hellbound Heart novella necessary, I'll keep this comprehensible to Duran Duran fans to the best of my ability. I'm mainly going to base this on the first 2 films and some elements of the novella.
> 
> Duran Duran fans will recognize elements of certain "adventure" music videos being treated as reality. In this universe all these music video plot lines are real events that happened to the band. Most notably so Hungry Like the Wolf but not only. 
> 
> Last but not least, no disrespect is meant to the real Simon Le Bon. This Simon is a vastly exaggerated, fictional version of him (with elements of his music video personas) that has nothing to do with my actual opinion of him.

The Hungry Heart

 

 _Through every forest, above the trees_  
_Within my stomach, scraped off my knees_  
_I drink the honey inside your hive_  
_You are the reason I stay alive_

_(Closer by Nine Inch Nails)_

 

The man, still young, although there was an air of world-weariness about him, entered the seedy restaurant. It was as sweltering and crowded as he'd remembered it from his brief visit circa five years prior. Those five years had not changed the joint much. Perhaps dustier and grimier than then, it was still recognizable down to the placement of individual tables. Including the one he'd flipped in frustration back when the hunt for the mysterious beauty was consuming his nights and days.

 

As he looked around a sense of deja vu flooded him. He chuckled mirthlessly. He never would have predicted he'd refer to that time as 'the simpler days'. His obsession of yore had almost driven him to madness and likewise had his friends and band mates at the end of their wits. But when the wild goose chase finally brought him to the object of his lust, somewhere in the depths of the Sri Lankan jungle, all he could feel was a sense of disenchantment.

 

She'd wrestled him to the ground, a feat that seemed almost superhuman coming from such a svelte woman. She devoured his lips with a cat-like purr, a radiant goddess overflowing with strength and vitality, as if she were the essence of life itself. A witch, an eternal spirit, perhaps mother nature herself. All that encircled in his arms and throbbing in his veins, but it was not enough... nothing was ever enough.

 

The shriek of a parrot gets him out of his reverie. He had a purpose here, not just reminiscing. Casually, he looked around, trying to avoid attention, or at least as much as a white man of his size and stature in a place like this could. This wasn't exactly a tourist favourite after all. Even most of the locals, the nice families, the people with a clear conscience and a day job, avoided it. This was a den of iniquity straight out of a 30s pulp novel. Smugglers, drug dealers, criminals and low-lives of all sorts, loose women, all found their repast... and a chance at more business coming their way here. The owner did not mind, 'a customer is a customer' was his motto. The young man had heard it many times over back when he was grilling the shifty man over about the elusive beauty, reportedly a frequent guest of the establishment. In retrospect... perhaps she found it a fertile ground for fresh victims.

 

'Mr. Le Bon! I knew you'd come early, always so eager my customers...'

 


	2. The Deal is Sealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon gets what he bargained for and more...

_I'm searching for something_   
_Beyond my understanding_   
_Looking for meaning_   
_Where nothing is demanding_   
_There are no surprises_   
_Where nothing is expected_   
_If you offer nothing_   
_Then everyone accepts_

_(Radio by Robbie Williams)_

 

'Mr. Le Bon! I knew you'd come early, always so eager my customers...' 

The traveler almost jumped out of his chair at the sound of his name, uttered so carelessly, when secrecy was of the utmost importance. He turned his head quickly and faced a sleazy old man, his contact, he presumed. He had no idea how the man had managed to sneak up on him like this. The fact that he seemed so amused by this only furthered Simon's annoyance.

Simon had wanted to keep his real name out of the affair altogether. After the disaster that Live Aid had been - he still cringed at the memory - and half the band leaving, his popularity was rapidly declining. An anonymity which would never have been an option during the glorious Duranmania days was gradually looking more feasible - Simon had mixed feelings on the matter - but for this particular business it would have been a godsend. It was, however, not to be, the dealer had apparently checked up on his real data.  

'Keep it down old man,' Simon hissed. 

'Mum's the word. But I must say you are one uptight young man. Fancy a drink to calm your nerves?' he smiled a Cheshire cat grin.

'I have no time for chit-chat. Get on with it. Do you have it?' 

Simon's palms were starting to sweat and his heart race. He could feel how close he was, his prize almost within his grasp. He could almost hear it calling to him... 

'Cash first, box second,' the man reached out his dirty palm over the table. 

Simon made a disgusted face but handed over a briefcase of money, he'd been keeping under his chair. He hoped to god Yasmin wouldn't question the sudden mysterious expense, Simon once again regretted having opened a joint account with her. Yasmin was nothing if perceptive and Simon knew there would be many questions to field over this whole excursion awaiting him. 

The man put the briefcase on the floor next to him, without looking inside. 

'Aren't you going to count it?' the moment Simon had said it he regretted not biting his tongue. He was slowing things down himself, damn it. 

'I can tell an honest young man when I see one.'

A pang of guilt went through Simon, he figured that was what the man had been going for. There was nothing clean about the whole deal and they both knew it. 

'Just hand it over!' Simon raised his voice and almost immediately regretted it but he was finding it harder and harder to restrain himself. Sweat was dripping down his brow, his breathing was ragged, and he felt as though his heart was going to jump out of his chest. 

'Tsk tsk. Today's youth is so impatient,' he reached for his pocket and pulled out a small, square, wooden, lacquered puzzle box with gold details. Not unlike an antique Rubik's cube.

'Catch!'

Simon barely managed to grab the box before it hit the floor. 

'What the hell are you doing?! You almost broke it!'

'Oh, shush, it's sturdier than you think. It wouldn't have survived this long if it weren't, considering what young fools like you put it through.'

'Are we done here?' Simon could feel the box hot in his palm, it was almost burning his skin. Somehow this did not feel as odd to him as it should have. 

'Yes, we are. Just remember it's on loan. There are many like you in line for it. I'm giving you two weeks to solve it. After that your shot is gone. If it doesn't respond to you it means it wasn't meant anyway.'

'I know that, I can read. It was all in your letter and I agreed to your ridiculous terms. For this amount of money it should be mine for good, dammit!' Simon squeezed the box tightly in his palm. 

'My boy, you could not fork out even remotely as much cash as it is worth. Even with your silly little band and your record deals and sold out gigs you're not even close to it,' the man stated in a matter of fact voice.

'What if I don't give it back?' Simon challenged.

'Trust me, by the time you're done with it... or rather it's done with you, you'll be begging for me to take it off your hands... That is if you survive that long.'

'What the hell are you implying?' Simon's eyes went wide. Even with his mind clouded by finally getting hold of his prize, the man's words still chilled him to the bone. 

But the man was already at the door, somehow Simon hadn't even registered him walking from the table to it. The man didn't even turn around, just waved his hand.

'Au revoir monsieur Le Bon! And remember to enjoy yourself!'

And then he disappeared into thin air. 

 

 


	3. The Good Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Yasmin...

_If there's secrets she has to be party to_

_Every one of them_

 

_(Palomino by Duran Duran)_

"Yas!" Simon's eyes widened comically when the door to his house flew open and he saw his young wife's brightly smiling face in front of him. He was holding the keys in his hand and gaping, completely taken aback. 

 

"Simon, you look like you've seen a ghost." Yasmin rolled her eyes. "I saw you through the window so I went to open the door for you."

 

"But... you weren't supposed to be back for another two days," Simon mumbled. 

 

"Gee, someone's real happy to see me, just come in and put that bag away first," she beckoned Simon in and locked the door behind him. 

 

They sat down in the living room and Simon put away his bag, however, he kept it close by because he didn't want the box out of his sight for even a moment. 

 

Yasmin made herself comfortable in one of the luxurious armchairs and crossed her long legs. She looked as enticing as ever, wearing a white, sleeveless sun dress which set off her smooth, tan skin.  

 

Simon subconsciously registered on some level how attractive she looked and that not so long ago there was a time when he would have pounced on her there and then, but he couldn't help nervously looking in the direction of his bag and tapping his feet slightly instead. He was sitting on the edge of his seat, a far cry from how comfortably Yasmin had draped herself over the other chair.

 

"The shoot ended early, since we had more than enough material and the weather was starting to spoil anyway. I've actually been back since yesterday... and if anything I was surprised not to find you at home. Frankly I was a bit worried," she gave Simon a once over taking in his travel clothes and bag. He looked like someone back straight from a safari. 

 

"I didn't expect you back earlier, otherwise I would have called up. I just... felt like getting away for a while," Simon avoided her eyes as he made his vague excuse. He was sweating and he wasn't quite sure if it was because of Yasmin's scrutiny or the vicinity of the box, or both. 

 

"Mhmm... you can tell me about that later but first call John up, I've been fielding his calls for two days now. You missed a date with him. Of all people your wife shouldn't have to remind you about a date with your boyfriend."

 

"I'm sorry love, I'll call him right away," Simon couldn't decide whether he was relieved to momentarily have Yasmin off his back or nervous for another round of scrutiny this time courtesy of John. 

 

Simon gulped as he dialed John's number, but after several minutes of him not picking up back to Yasmin it was. 

 

"Simon, I know you like Indiana Jones, but you don't always have to dress up as him when you're travelling... not that you look bad, but go get changed for dinner" she giggled.

 

Simon would have normally bantered with her, but he just wanted to expedite things, so he ignored his indignant feelings at her comments and went to their bedroom. He changed to a white T-shirt and jeans, as plain as it got, but enough to stop Yasmin from more remarks. He knew she wasn't really being mean, but right now just about everything about her annoyed him, her jokes, her smiles, her lovely face... just all of it. 

 

Suddenly Simon realized he had left his bag with the box inside in the living room, he hoped to god Yasmin hadn't started to rummage through it. She had no reason to but Simon was becoming increasingly paranoid. 

 

He almost ran back to the living room, only to find the bag intact next to the armchair, right where he had left it just minutes earlier. He sighed in relief, picked it up and took it to his study. He opened the bag, took the box out and placed it in his safe, a safe that was barely in use otherwise. Having locked up the safe and the room he joined Yasmin in the dining room. 

 

Eating was the last thing Simon had on his mind, ever since he'd started searching for the box his appetite had become poor, and in the last couple of days even water would barely pass his lips. 

 

He had to appease Yasmin, however. Yasmin whose early return was a wrench in his plans, and he could think of nothing but getting their evening together over with. 

 

"Simon... you've barely had any, are you alright?"

 

Simon was poking around in his spaghetti carbonara, one of his and Yasmin's favourite dishes, actually, but he could barely stomach any. 

 

"I've just had a hearty lunch is all," he gave her a strained smile.

 

"If you say so... so where have you been, love? Tell me all about it," she put her chin in her hands and leaned in Simon's direction. 

 

"Well, nothing special really, I just went to the countryside, needed some alone time," that didn't sound very convincing even to Simon but he was completely distracted and his mind was a blank. 

 

"Dressed like that?" Yasmin laughed out loud. "Oh, Simon, never change," she gave him a squeeze on the shoulder. 

 

Simon managed a weak chuckle. 

 

"Love, sorry but I need to go writing, I've had some ideas on my trip and I need to work them out. We do desperately need some lyrics for the new album." He started to get up. 

 

"That's great dear, so your writer's block is over, I gather," Yasmin gave him a warm smile.

 

"So it seems," Simon went up to the door.

 

Yasmin was still smiling but he noticed something in her eyes that made him feel she was onto him somehow. 

 

"Don't wait up for me, I'll be writing all night," Simon went through the door without another glance at Yasmin. 

 

"Okay love, just don't tire yourself out too much. Goodnight."

 

Simon didn't even reply.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrt me using a lyric from "Palomino", that song isn't necessarily about Yasmin since Simon said it was about "one of the beautiful girls he's known" but I feel it does suit Yasmin and the chapter as well.


End file.
